A Satena passenger plane crashed in northeastern Colombia killing all 15 people aboard. The aircraft was flying from Cúcuta to Ocaña when it went down in a remote, mountainous region. Victims included a sitting lawmaker and a congressional candidate.
A tragic plane crash in northeastern Colombia on January 28, 2026, claimed the lives of all 15 people on board, including a sitting lawmaker and a congressional candidate. The small passenger aircraft, operated by the state-owned airline Satena, departed from Camilo Daza International Airport in Cúcuta shortly before noon, bound for Aguas Claras Airport in Ocaña.
According to authorities, the Beechcraft 1900 twin-engined turboprop lost contact with air traffic control about 12 minutes after takeoff, prompting a search by aviation and military teams. The wreckage was later located in a remote, rural area near La Playa de Belén in the Norte de Santander department, a region characterised by mountainous terrain and dense vegetation.
Among the victims were Diógenes Quintero, a 36-year-old member of Colombia’s House of Representatives representing victims of the long-running armed conflict, and Carlos Salcedo, a social leader and candidate for Congress in the upcoming elections. Also aboard were two crew members and other passengers whose identities are being confirmed by officials.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Vice President Francia Márquez expressed their sorrow, offering condolences to families of the deceased. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, with civil aviation authorities examining wreckage and flight data to determine what led to the sudden loss of the aircraft.
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The incident has sent shockwaves across the country, highlighting concerns about aviation safety and the challenges of operating flights in remote, rugged regions of Colombia.
